Topics

Humility

"Humility is a prerequisite for advancement of spiritual understanding. Each surge forward in spiritual growth must be accompanied by a corresponding strengthening of humility. But it is important to understand that humility is not equivalent to a debasement of the self. Those who self-flagellate show a lack of understanding of their larger importance. That kind of self-debasement is the flipside of arrogance. Humility arises out of an egoless deepening of understanding. Humility exists only when a decision is made to remain open to new insights without an ulterior motive. When one does not seek knowledge to aggrandize the self, but only to be of greater use to the very forces that uplift all, then one can be humble. The purest form of humility, which can only be alluded to here, is the source of much beauty in the universe."

Awakening

"I am talking about an awakening process, more than one of information accumulation."

Hierarchy

"The structure of the so-called spiritual hierarchy is not in itself important. If you must think of the universe as hierarchical, then understand that the hierarchy bears no resemblance to the power-based and authoritative structures man has erected here. The weight of responsibly is felt more profoundly within the upper echelons, and that responsibility is also more welcomed there. Within the upper echelons is also a deeper understanding of the illusory nature of the hierarchy, as those who have attained higher levels of understanding have a correspondingly enhanced sense of humility and see themselves as a foundation that supports the less advanced levels as they strive for spiritual growth--they see themselves as servants. There is no order of importance."

The Goal

"The goal of the earth incarnation is to attain a state of complete selfless compassion that is both pre and post-thought, and which is felt to the very core. Pure selflessness is an absolute position that need not compromise, experiences no doubt, and will—in all instances and without calculation—act in the best interest of the whole. Action is the oft-ignored second half of compassion."

Action

"Pure action requires an exquisite sensitivity to the moment and to one’s intentions. All outcomes must be sensed within the present moment in order for useful action to arise. Our actions are like pebbles we toss into a lake: one must be able to anticipate the ripples the stone will cause before the stone even leaves the hand. It is not necessary to intellectually foresee all outcomes of a given action across time and space (these are illusory anyway), but only to sense the patterns of the ripples they will create in advance. This can be done because the energy pattern of an action’s outcome is always already contained within the energy used to execute it."

Undivided Energy

"The separation of energies is illusory. It makes no more sense to say that a single wave is separate from the ocean it moves on. Denser energies may seem separated from those that are less dense, but this is an illusion rooted entirely in perception and the mind-state. With this understanding comes a greater sense of one’s responsibility to the whole. "

The Lessons of the Body

"The body is sensitive to our intent and the energies that intent creates. If the organism can be “tuned into," and we become sensitive to its permutations, then we can receive guidance from the body. The effect that our intent has on our body is parallel to the effects—at the subtle energy level—that it has on the world and, ultimately, the greater universe. Physical symptoms can indicate the predominance of harmful energies, or a need for energy recalibration. With great sensitivity, the intent can be calibrated against these sensations, and thereby focussed away from negativity. It is not necessary to decide if the negative energy originates from within or without, but only to take responsibility for the energies that you are home to."

Seeking

"There is a trap hidden in the desire to seek spiritual wisdom. The seeking can itself become a pleasurable activity, a self-sustaining loop which seeks not fundamentally to attain spiritual insights, but is mainly concerned with perpetuating itself. Spiritual insight can be joyous, but it is also always sobering, drawing one inward and away from superficial pleasure. With true spiritual development must come an increased sense of responsibility, and the need to set down the various toys of the mind if they have become detriments. "

Atheism

"Atheism can be a stage in spiritual development, but like any stage, it is possible to become stuck there. If the mind closes down and comes to rest at the stage of atheism (which is only a negation and nothing more), the issue of one’s inner nature will have been consciously pushed aside. But atheism can also serve as a blank slate in the process of spiritual development. The accumulated doctrine of organized religion is swept aside by the truly atheistic point of view. If the atheist is then willing—at some later point—to re-examine his or her views, this blank slate can become a springboard for spiritual development—an uncluttered room in which the right furniture can be arranged. Atheism, then, is not in itself a negative stance, although, in time, it may become a breeding ground for the perpetuation of negative energies in some."

Dimensions

"Dimensions can be compared to building blocks. The more you have, the more energy forms will be possible (and the more complex they can be). It is important to realize, however, that the way that the bocks are assembled is tied to intent.

When moving from one dimension to a higher one, it will be observed that what were contradictions or paradoxes within the lower level can exist together without contradiction at the higher one, as more context will be available. So what are genuine paradoxes at one level will be liberated and freed into a fuller meaning at the higher level. Furthermore, the speed at which energy transmutes as a result of intent is seemingly quicker at higher dimensions. The increase in speed (which is relative) will itself increase as you move higher, until there is no division between intent and manifestation—this is the realm of pure love. "

Fear

"Fear is artificial. There is no substance to it. Fear is the product of time, and positioning the ego in relation to events in time."

The Language of the Present Moment

"With time the awareness can be trained to experience what is without the distortions of the mind getting in the way. If you are able to train your mind to sit still for an extended period of time, the present moment will open up to you by degrees. By quieting the mind and maintaining the focus on the entirety of phenomena arising in the present moment, we allow ourselves to hear the language of the present, of what is. If you can train the attention to take in the entirety of present sense phenomena—while keeping the mind and its thought stream in focus without grasping—you will begin to hear the language of reality spoken in full sentences, rather than the single letters that the mind is able to interpret. Of course, grasping at these full “sentences” with the mind will immediately pull you out of the present."

The Dark Self

"Do not seek safety from the darker regions of the self, for such safety is illusory. Dealing with these dark regions is what you are here to do. Own what you are, but show compassion towards the self. This is what it means to take responsibility for your authenticity and the blockages that hinder the flow of love outwards. Above all understand that fear of the darker regions of the self is avoidance of responsibility. Eventually these energies will need to be faced."

Observing Nature

"Spend time observing nature, being in nature. There is nothing that the awareness cannot remember about the fundamental nature of existence from simply being in nature. Natural objects reject their human-given names more easily than any man-made object. The natural world exudes—even in its most violent moments—an energy of complete union, fluid interchange. "

Lessons at Night

"Much important work in done in the time of sleep. When the personality and its karma operate in the fully self-generated universe of dreams, challenges and important lessons are highlighted. "

Guru Dialogues -- Responsibility and Mind

s-Recently you were talking about responsibility, and how that relates to spirituality. You seemed to be saying that, in a way, they are the same thing. Can you explain that a bit more?

g-Sure. What I have tried to explain is that responsibility—and I am talking about a self-sustained and unshakable sense of responsibility—is an important aspect of mature spirituality. When someone feels truly responsible there is no division between the self and the world, because that deep sense of responsibility resides at the very heart of one’s perception and action. True responsibility means not mentally delimiting the scope of your involvement with the world or with the self. You accept all of it as falling within your domain and put up no barriers. You feel very deeply that you—the essence of you—are fundamentally connected to everything that is. You understand that there is no loving or nasty deed that is utterly foreign to you. You also take responsibility internally for anything you feel or think. Every greedy thought, every ounce of nastiness, fear, as well as every kind or loving thought you have. You accept responsibility for all of it and then you engage it constructively. You become active. Imagine how the world would be transformed if everyone were responsible in that way.

s-That sounds to me like assuming a lot of guilt for things that you haven’t done.

g-Guilt is a choice, a position, and that is another subject altogether, but, yes, there is a heaviness that is a natural part of accepting such a great load. But understand that the heaviness is more than counterbalanced by the awareness that you are also—at a fundamental level—tied to the great, loving deeds of mankind. So all you are doing is expanding, without limit, the scope of what you are taking responsibility for. Instead of just the standard personal triumphs and shames, you are taking on all triumphs and shames.

s-So you’re saying that I shouldn’t feel guilty for any single act in my past?

g-If you decide to feel guilty for any one act and direct your attention there, then you are making a decision to fixate on the memory of one past deed, and so you have shrunk your realm of responsibility again. Then you are ignoring the good, the love, and the compassion that is also in evidence everywhere you look, inside or outside yourself. There is a difference between learning from our actions and suffocating ourselves with them. It is the same if you are continually comforting yourself with past actions that you feel were commendable, and writing yourself blank cheques in the present with them. In both cases you have taken your eye off the ball. The past is the past and the future is the future. What you have done or think you will do are of no consequence to the decisions you can make NOW.

s-To take responsibility for everything, don’t you have to know everything?

g-To know everything consciously, in the mind, with thoughts, with memory? No, that is neither possible, nor would it be useful. Instead you are sensing and fundamentally grasping the state of the world and the self as it is. You can do this because there is actually no division between yourself and the world. The division lies only in perspective.

s-There it is again. You often put down the mind and thoughts. I don’t understand why you think that thoughts are useless.

g-Useless is not a word I would use. Thinking can be useful, but understand that much of the dysfunction that you see in the world today has come out of an excessive fixation on thought, logic, on the rational, the material, that which can be measured. This is powered by a fear of the unknown, loss of control, which is itself a quirk of the mind. So what has happened, then? We have rationalized ourselves en mass away from the truth that sits patiently inside each of us, which is not knowable in the way that the circumference of a circle is knowable. This truth requires us to wake up and out of the constant thought stream of the mind. Unless we can do that, we remain unconscious to the inner reality, which—paradoxically it will seem—is also the outer reality. We’ll talk more about that another time.

s-Thanks.

g-Thank you.